College players tend to view bowl games as mere exhibition matchups that they have the option to skip. This is considered a strategic move, as they don’t want to get hurt in a game that isn’t contributing much to their careers. An injury could jeopardize their next season, or harm their NFL draft stock. Cam Newton, however, is strictly against this approach by the athletes.
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“There’s no such thing as a student-athlete, not in the Division 1 level,” Cam asserted on the 4th&1 podcast while criticizing the luxury D1 college players have to skip one of the most cherished CFB traditions — bowl games.
The 2010 Heisman winner argued that if college players are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars, some even millions, they should be treated as professionals.
Cam suggested they should forfeit a certain amount of their NIL deals if they skip Bowl games. That would add accountability, he stated.
“To fix that, have a clause in it. If you don’t play, give some of that money back,” asserted the former QB.
Skipping games should have consequences, just like any other job, felt Cam, adding: “If your dad doesn’t show up to work, if your mama doesn’t show up to work, do they still get paid?”
Cam resonated with the celebrated JUCO coach Jason Brown’s views on this matter. Brown, the star of the Netflix series Last Chance U, had said that players, especially the NIL athletes, who opt out of Bowl games are making a cold business decision. And that goes vehemently against the spirit of their respective college programs.
Cam said on similar lines, stating that the money the student-athletes earn are for the regular season as well as the bowl games.
“It’s no more amateur sports, bro,” Cam added. “When they agree to say NIL is free… able to do that sh*t, bro, they’re professionals, so hold them accountable like professionals. If they don’t want to play the bowl game, cool, that’s fine, but that money that we gave you for the regular season and bowl games, give some of that money back.”
To reiterate the professionalism idea, Newton cited Christian McCaffrey as an example. He argued that if team doctors clear him to play, McCaffrey has no choice but to turn up, even if it means playing through an injury. That’s how it works in the big league.
.@CameronNewton on NIL players opting out of bowl games: It’s time to hold them accountable like the professionals they’re PAID to be pic.twitter.com/bSQpAkrzqf
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) December 13, 2024
Deion Sanders clearly shares Cam’s perspective. Coach Prime has already stated that his top players — including Travis Hunter and his sons Shedeur and Shilo, who will feature in the upcoming NFL draft — will all play in Colorado’s bowl game against BYU.
Star players featuring in bowl games certainly make the CFB tradition special for fans. However, most players don’t even play in their rookie season. While an injury is always a possibility, they will have enough time to recover.
That said, sitting out makes sense too, especially with the packed schedule ahead for draft prospects. So does forfeiting the money Cam is referring to.
